In February, we contacted David Wright, general manager of Starcraft Bus and Federal Coach, on the production and sale of the 25,000th vehicle to roll off the production line last year.
As reported in the April magazine edition, the Allstar commercial shuttle was sold in January by Starcraft dealer Creative Bus Sales of Chino, Calif., to the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada located in Las Vegas, one of the largest transit and paratransit providers in the nation.
Wright shared with us just what the 25,000th bus means to all of Starcraft’s business, including its dealer network and its school bus division that was started in 2008. The Allstar was the first bus manufactured by the company in 1998, and as Wright told us, was the inspiration for later models including Starcraft’s Prodigy and Quest school bus models.
STN: How does this milestone speak to Starcraft’s commitment to the school bus industry? What about the commitment of Forest River and Berkshire-Hathaway?
Wright: When Starcraft Bus decided to embark on building its first commercial shuttle bus 14 years ago, it was committed to building a bus that would be known for quality, value and durability. Starcraft Bus has stayed true to these goals for its first 25,000 buses and will continue to do so in the future. As we expected, it’s taken a great deal of time and energy to enter into and compete in the school bus segment, but I’m happy to say that we are much further along in the process than we expected to be at this time.
STN: How did/does the flagship Allstar commercial influence development and production of Starcraft’s line of school buses and MFSABs?
Wright: When the school bus division was started in 2008, we took the same qualities and construction methods of our best-selling Allstar bus and incorporated them into our Type A school buses and MFSABs. When you purchase a Starcraft school bus, you not only get a bus that meets all government required school bus standards, you get the same time-tested, rugged, steel-cage construction and quality components that we built into our Allstar. We believe this is why our school buses have been so well received in the industry today.
STN: How important to Starcraft’s business are its dealers, such as Creative Bus Sales?
Wright: Our dealers are invaluable to us and the partnership we create with them is crucial to our success. Creative Bus is a great example of what a manufacturer and dealer can achieve when they partner together. The loyalty they have shown to Starcraft Bus over the years has had a direct impact on our success. We realize that further growth in either industry is contingent on building valuable relationships like the one we have with Creative Bus.
STN: Thank you
Editor’s note — Watch an STN video blog that includes this interview with Wright on the company’s 25,000 milestone and what it means to its school bus divison.
